Life Is Full of Twists
by RiderK.Cullen
Summary: What happens when the last dragon egg is given to you, it hatches. Suddenly it seems your decisons in life are made for you and each decision made by someone else unravels another mystery and secret kept from you all those years. Set after Brisingr.
1. Arlia

**Disclamer: I don't own any of the Inheritance cycle characters Christopher Paolini does**

**A/N Hope you like it. My first one. Idea came to me in a dream.**

A hooded figure came out of the forest at top speed carrying a bundle close to its chest, it was clearly an elf as no other creature can move so fluidly and at top speed.

It knocked at a door in the village. When the door opened there stood a man and his wife, the hooded figure gave the bundle to the lady and said quietly

"Please, look after her, never let her know about us and we will collect her when the time is right and this fight is over"

With that the hooded figure took off into the dark forest again.

**14 years later**

Arlia's Point of View

I woke to remember the dream I had that night it was in a forest and I was been carried by someone, it seemed as if they were running as fast as the wind, through the dense trees. The person who was carrying me was speaking to me, but I couldn't make out what the person was talking about.

"ARLIA!!"

Time to get up I thought. I heaved myself off the floor and began to get dressed. I folded up the blankets I slept in and then went into the kitchen where my mother, Dioni was placing my breakfast on the table.

"Morning mother" I said and she winced, I wonder why she always cringes or winces when I say mother is there something she is not telling me. I shrugged and forgot about it. I sat down next to her and ate the bread that was for breakfast.

"So what are my chores for today?" I asked quietly

"You have none" she replied with a snap

"Why do I have no chores, there is heaps to do around here?"

"We are all going into the middle of the village today, as Galbatorix has sent someone with something very precious and wants the village to be there when they arrive with it" She said in a exasperated voice

Oh that would be right Galbatorix wanting an audience for the revealing of the 'something'. Ever since Galbatorix's soldiers rampaged the village and took control over our beautiful Elmswell, we have had to survive on small amounts of food and water. The men have had to go and work all day for the soldiers either making swords and armour or harvesting food we don't even get a share of.

"What do think the 'something' is?" I asked

It went silent throughout the house, all you could hear was the chatter of talk and the crunching of feet on the gravel outside.

"Arlia go and get dressed in your best dress" she said suddenly

"Why won't you answer my question" I said indignantly

She angrily repeated herself "I said get dressed in your best dress"

"But it is so uncomfortable and you won't answer my question, do you know something about it that I should know" I carefully replied

"Go Now!"

I stormed into the room, which I slept, in and sat on the floor and pulled out of a sack the nicest dress I owned, which is the only one as I prefer to wear pants and a shirt. As I pulled on the dress, I thought about my parents. My mother had fair skin, light brown hair and deep brown eyes on the other hand my father was part elf and that is where my features come from. He has alabaster skin and so do I, he also has slightly tapered ears, I do also have tapered ears a bit more than his. My hair is dark brown and my eyes are deep blue, like my father's.

I went back into the kitchen and there was my mother and father waiting for me.

"Lets go now" said my father , Warin.


	2. The Egg

We arrived a bit early at the middle of the village but there was still a lot of people already there.

"Arlia!" someone called

I turned around to see my friend Pavia waving at me and beckoning me to come to her.

"Mother, am I allowed to go over to Pavia?"

"Yes, but come back once the people have arrived with the egg-

Realising she has just revealed something secretive my mother blushed.

"The last dragon egg, that is what they are bringing here isn't it?" I asked

My mother just looked at me.

"Please can you tell me" I begged in a whiny voice

"Fine, King Galbatorix ordered the last egg to be brought to all the villages under his control and be given to a person who is most likely the egg is going to hatch for" she snapped

"Who do you think they are going to give it to and how do they know if it hatches for them" I questioned

"Arlia do you expect me to know all of this, because I don't." she said with a huff

Suddenly my father spoke and said

"Arlia stop bothering your mother and go and see Pavia"

So I walked over to Pavia and began to talk about what she thinks is happening. About 10 minutes later a horn erupted somewhere, piercing the village with its noise. A few little children began to cry. Two men in armour came into the centre of the village one was short but well built and had brown hair and the other was tall and also well built but with sandy coloured hair. A circle formed around them where they had stopped the tall one began to speak in grave, loud voice and said

"Elmswell, we are here on King Galbatorix's orders to give the last dragon egg to a person whom we think it may hatch for. We will give the village a chance to elect someone who they think is worthy," he stopped and looked around the circle with a grim smile,

"He is who is voted on by the village will receive the egg for 3 days if it does hatch we will go from there if it doesn't then we move on to another village."

The shorter soldier spoke and said "Any suggestions from the village to whom the egg may go to?"

The village was silent until a young boy named Gredlan who was two years younger than me piped up and said

"I am willing to hold the egg"

The taller soldier spoke and said "You are too young and have not developed enough yet, anyone else?

Then I felt an urge to elect myself to hold the egg, but I was to afraid of embarrassment and put down of being a girl. In the mean time a few more people had put their hands up for the egg, but had been declined saying that they are too young or too old or that they are not fit enough. Suddenly I spoke up and said

"I, Arlia Mokirja elect myself to hold the egg"

Everyone went silent and looked at me with incomprehensible expressions on their faces. One of the soldiers walked up to me and said in a rude voice

"You are a girl and no way is a dragon egg going to hatch for you"

"How do you know that, sure it has never happened, just let me have the egg for the time limit and I will prove you wrong" I said in an arrogant voice and once again my tongue go the better of me

"Fine you can have the egg for **2 **days and if doesn't hatch, you die" the soldier said with a smile on his face.

There were cries of horror and gasps all over the crowd. I looked over to my parents to see my mum had fainted and my dad giving me a 'please don't do it look'. I began to back away and said

"No that is not what I agreed to, you said 3 days, and why do I have to die if it doesn't hatch for me?

The shorter soldier spoke and said "Because you are a girl"

Next thing I knew was that the soldier had unwrapped a indigo coloured stone and passed it to me.

"2 days"


	3. Hope or No Hope

**A/N: Thankyou for my reviews I thought I wouldn't even get one, here is the next chapter.**

Still APOV

As I carried the Indigo coloured dragon egg home, I began to think about what I had done and why I shouldn't have just kept my mouth shut. The soldiers were right, there is no way this egg is going hatch for me. All I could think was that I was going to die in 2 days. 2 days left of living, that's all my life ends at 14yrs of age.

When I returned home my parents had already come home and were sitting in the kitchen when they saw me my father stood up and yelled

"ARLIA, what have you done, there is no way that egg is going to hatch in 2 days, you are going to die"

On the last word my mother burst into tears and so did I. I replied to my father in between sobs

"I w-was-wasn't th-thin-thinking st-straight"

"Right you are there girl, you are going to die in a matter of 2 days and those soldiers knew that egg wasn't going to hatch for you" with that my father sat down onto the bench and began to comfort my mother. But she pushed herself away from him and said to me in a shaky voice

"Arlia go and get changed out of your dress and put that stupid egg somewhere safe until until…"

With that I turned and went in to the other room and got changed. I then put the egg down on the blankets I slept on and said to it in a quiet voice

"If you can hear me little dragon, please hatch for me, although I am a girl I feel that I can do everything a man or a boy can do for you" It was silent in the house and that scared me so I went into the kitchen.

The next morning I woke and got changed into my work clothes. I went outside to the garden and began to work on the harvesting of the radishes. As I worked I thought about my life and all my childhood memories. Some were funny and some were sad, like when my little doggie died and when I fell into the stream close to Elmswell and a boy called Maurin whom I secretly liked pulled me out of the stream, but sadly he moved out the village two weeks before the soldiers came and took over the village.

"Arlia, where are you?" called my friend Pavia called

"I'm out in the garden" I replied

She came out into the garden and gave me a look as if I was a ghost

"What's the matter?" I asked afraid of the look she was giving me

"Nothing I just can't believe you are most likely to die in 2 days and anyway where is the egg that has caused all this trouble?" she said in a solemn voice

"Firstly the egg is in a safe place where I am not going to tell you and secondly I wish everyone would have a bit of hope in me and this stupid egg!" I said in an angry voice

"But Arlia think, do you really think the egg is going to hatch for you, honestly?"

It was extremely awkward for I knew the odds were stacked against me, but I didn't want anyone else to think I was weak in thinking myself that the egg is not going to hatch.

"No, I don't think it is going to hatch" with that I burst into tears and collapsed onto the ground

"Arlia, I am sorry but I really think this is one of my last days with you"

And then she went and grabbed a rake and began to help me for I didn't know why she helped me I kept my mouth shut and savoured each last moment with her.

At dinner time at the table it was extremely quiet and all you could hear was the sound of food been eaten and water being gulped. I helped my mother clean up afterwards and suddenly she began to cry and hug me saying she was sorry.

"Mum, you have nothing to be sorry about" with that I went into the room and got unchanged and went into bed. I slept with the egg beside me.

At about midnight I woke to a strange noise coming from within the egg, then sharp noises and cracks began to come from the egg and suddenly the whole egg split into little pieces and there planted before me was a beautiful indigo coloured …

Baby dragon

**A/N I am hoping the next chapter to be up tonight, hope you liked this one.**

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**:)**


	4. Breaking Free

**A/N I hope you like this one it is my longest so far. Please review and tell me if i am doing anything wrong.**

Oh my lord, it hatched. It hatched for me. The last dragon egg hatched for a girl no more worthy than a pile of radishes.

The Dragon began to stumble around on the blankets, I had to refrain myself from giggling for fear of my parents waking up. The dragon came right up to me, so I reached my palm out to comfort it and suddenly a weird, feeling began to come from my palm, it took over my whole body. It felt as someone had just poured a bucket of freezing cold water over my body soaking me from head to toe. With all my strength I kept myself quiet during this and pulled my palm away from the baby dragon.

I looked down to my palm and saw an oval shaped scar, it was shiny and still had a funny feeling coming from it, also my mind seemed to feel very open as if there was an empty space. It was very uncomfortable.

I spoke to the little dragon and said very quietly

"You saved my life, you little thing saved my life, who would think a tiny little thing like you can save someone's life"

It was really an amazing, gorgeous little creature. I couldn't help but feel smug about all of this, I showed the soldiers up that a girl can do what any man can do. Something suddenly just clicked in my mind.

"Aw, Crap!" I said just a little too loud.

I was going to have to serve King Galbatorix and that was something I really did not want to do. I did not want to have to be trained by him or that other rider, whom I had seen a few times sweeping the skies with his bright red dragon whom is rumoured to be named 'Thorn".

Meanwhile the little baby dragon was eagerly trying to climb into my lap and when it had finally succeeded, it began to nibble on my nightie thinking it might be something to eat. I shifted myself around so the little dragon could climb up onto my shoulder and is if read my intentions it quickly climbed up.

With the little dragon perched on my shoulder, I silently tiptoed into the kitchen.

When we were in the kitchen, I began to try and find some food in the dark and it wasn't easy as I was making quite a racket so I stopped and began to squint in the dark to find a destination where food might be, but it was just too hard the poor little thing would just have to wait till dawn when there is a bit of light. I said to the dragon in a whisper

"I can't find any food for you, I am sorry you are going to have to wait"

It looked at me as if it understood which was really odd. But the thing it did next was even weirder the dragon began to look for something and then smartly pulled a bit of something from a sack and began to eat it. It had found its own food; this little dragon was smart from birth.

"You don't need me to find food for you, you can already fend for yourself"

The little dragon came back to me, looking quite proud of it self, it came right up to my leg and began to jump up at my leg looking for a pathway to get back up to its perch on my shoulder.

So I crouched down on my knees and gestured for it to hop up, with a little grunt from its chest it managed to get up onto my shoulder in a flash.

I headed to the garden outside, and when I reached there I sat down and began to think about what to do

Firstly I was going to have to figure out how to get away without being noticed by the soldiers or the villagers. I wanted to leave Elmswell because if I stayed I was going to be captured and taken to Galbatorix to serve and help him take over Alagaësia. That was going to be a challenge and I decided that I was going to have to leave sometime within the next hour.

So I wrote a letter to my parents explaining that the egg had hatched and that the only way to save them and my little dragon was to leave. I finished it off with saying that I was sorry and that I loved them and wished that I had been a better child for them. I folded the piece of paper and sat it on the bench of the kitchen. It was then I realised I was crying silently and the dragon was licking up the tears that fell to my chest.

I realised the dragon might be a bit thirsty so I poured a bit of water in a ceramic bowl and placed it on the ground for the little dragon to drink. It lapped it up in a second so I poured more and it too disappeared within seconds. The baby dragon then went and curled up on the floor and rested.

While the dragon rested, I rushed around silently gathering everything I owned and packed it into a sack trying not to cry. I then went into the kitchen and struggled to find some provisions for me to eat while I am running. I grabbed my waterskin and filled it with the rest of the water in the barrel, which was not a lot. I then went and kneeled next to the dragon and spoke quietly

"We need to leave now, can you climb onto my shoulder again please"

It seemed to understand and jumped up to my shoulder with ease. That was a bit odd I thought because before it took it a bit of effort to get up there. The dragon also seemed to be a bit heavier than before.

I left the house as quiet as a mouse and sprinted of through the village at top speed. I had never really run before but this time I really ran and I was fast. I never realised that before I was fast at sprinting, but thinking on it now maybe that came in my blood due to that I was part elf and elves had heightened senses and endurances.

I slowed down to a jog when I reached the edge of the forest and checked to see if my dragon was alright, but it seemed to be enjoying the ride and the speed I was at before.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a pair of hands grabbed me and turned me around.

I stifled a scream and concentrated on figuring out who had grabbed me.

It was one of the soldiers and the other one was running behind trying to catch up. I struggled with the soldier and tried to break free of his tight grasp, but he just tightened his grip on me causing my scream to break loose.

"Shut up, you belong to the king now"

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	5. The Past, Present and Future

I looked at the soldier in the eye and saw many things. I saw mostly his weakness and that was his fear of me. I took that advantage by saying

"Let go of me now and I will never speak of you again, or I will forcefully relieve myself of your grasp and you know I can, Maurin."

Maurin 'the soldier' did a double take and said in a quiet voice so that the other soldier, whom was still running after us about 100 yards away, couldn't hear him.

"I do not know you"

I argued quietly "Yes you do, don't say that, please"

"Arlia, be quiet please" he said in a louder voice and tightened his grip on me, causing me to yelp in pain. The dragon made a snap at Maurin.

By that time the other soldier had finally arrived at us and said

"Oh my god it hatched for you!" in an astounded voice

"Yes it did, now let go of me" I pleaded

"Oh no missy you are serving the king now" said Maurin in an arrogant voice

At least half of the village was awake now and looking on at the scene in front of them. Some people even looked shocked and scared at the dragon still perched on my shoulder.

Maurin began to tow me out of the village, toward his camp, and I started to protest. I whacked him and punched him but all I was doing was injuring myself, he was far stronger than when I had last saw him.

The little dragon on my soldier was also trying his best to defend me, but I soon gave up and began to speak to the dragon

"Stop my little one, it does us no good"

When we reached the camp, the first thing they did was tie me to a horse. Then they began to pack and clean up the camp. When they had loaded everything into the wagon, the other soldier came over to me with something behind his back and before I knew it he had whacked me over the head with a plank of wood. I fell to the ground unconscious.

When I woke up, the first thing I realised was that my beautiful little dragon was no longer little it had grown quite a bit while I was out, which must have been a few days. I then realised that we were inside a sort of cell and it was hard to see clearly.

After about half an hour there was a quick knock on the door and someone opened it and in came a man. This man said to me in a monotone voice

"You are to come with me to the king and Murtagh to start your training"

"What if I don't want to come?" I protested

"Then we will forcefully bring you to him" again in monotone

"Fine"

I gestured for the little dragon to follow us and the man led us out of the cell and up a long flight of stairs

When we at the top of the stairs or close to he opened a metal door and inside were two people and two dragons. I could feel the little dragon come closer to me and hide behind my legs, for it was afraid of these two bigger dragons.

Then whom I presumed to be the king spoke

"Arlia, this dragon had hatched for you, a mere little girl. What do you think I am going to do with a mere little girl, send her off to fight for me, oh god no no. You are going to be trained and equipped to the point of you falling over the edge in death."

The other man made a small movement and began to speak a bit kinder than the king

"Arlia is there any questions you want to ask before we start"

"Why me, why did it hatch for me"

"That is a question I don't know how to answer for the answer remains with your dragon."

"Then why do you want me I am a mere girl whom this dragon is hatched for?"

"Your not just girl anymore you are a rider and the proof of that is your gedwëy ignasia


	6. Who Am I?

**A/N I am sorry about the last chapter it maybe a bit confusing as you may not know who Maurin is he is the one who rescued her from the stream as its says i chap **

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I woke up the next morning, and nudged my little baby dragon and told him

"I had a dream last night and in that dream I had a name for you and I think that name suits you. How about Scorp?

The dragon looked up at me and, is if it had understood what I had said, leapt onto my sore stomach and tugged for me to get out of bed and feed him. I didn't know where to get food for him and for me, so I just stumbled my way out of the so called bedroom and out into the hallway.

"What are you doing?" asked a soldier "Your not meant to be here no one but the king and his highest acquaintances are meant to be in this part of the empire and-

He never managed to finish his sentence because Scorp just waltzed out of the chamber 'bedroom' and the soldier turned white and bolted.

"You must be a sight, Scorp to send a soldier running and you are still a toddler"

We then began to explore and soon bumped into another soldier who turned out to be Maurin. He looked afraid of me and quite stunned to find me wandering.

"What are you doing wondering around like a lost sheep?" He asked rudely

"I am lost. Do you know where Murtagh is?" I answered back rudely

"Actually yes I do, he told me to give you this letter last night but I _accidently_ forgot. So here it is" he gave a rolled up piece of parchment to me with an evil grin

I quickly unravelled the piece of parchment and read it

_Arlia,_

_When you wake up tomorrow you are to go down to the kitchens and ask for breakfast. When you have finished breakfast meet me down where we trained yesterday be there by 9 or else._

_Murtagh_

_P.S Make sure you have a name fro your dragon_

I looked back at Maurin and asked

"What is the time?"

"I believe the time is 10 past 9" With that he walked away with a smug smile

Oh man I thought, no breakfast and I am already late. I quickly hurried out into the courtyards and tried to find the patch of grass we were training on yesterday. It wasn't hard to find them and the patch of grass as all I had to do was find Thorn. I saw them in the distance and ran over to them, Scorp following behind me.

"Sorry I am late, I didn't receive your letter till today" I apologised

"That is not an excuse you will be punished later" replied Murtagh "Arlia I would like you to meet Trahel, one of our many sorcerers"

I shook hands with him and he suddenly turned up my right hand to reveal the scar gedwëy ignasia. He stared at it with longing in his eyes.

"Nice to meet you Trahel" I said awkwardly "Am I going to learn magic from him?" I asked Murtagh

"No, he is going to intrude your mind to find out more about you"

"Oh ok" I was stunned. I didn't know what was going to happen

And then was pain ripping through my head it was unbelievable and it hurt so much. I could feel something prodding about in my mind and scanning thoughts and pictures I had remembered. The thing scanned and looked at memories of my parents and my life in Elmswell, it particularly lingered on the dream of the thing running in the forest. Then it moved on to my memory of Maurin and the stream. Then it stopped and the thing drifted away from my tormented mind.

I found myself lying on the grass and Scorp in front of me in a protective position.

"Arlia, Get up" commanded Murtagh

I dragged myself off the soft grass to standing position and then Murtagh and Trahel pulled me over to a log and sat down.

"We have some things to talk to you about"

"Yes" I muttered feebly

"The dream you had about the figure running and talking to you was not a dream, it was real and what I have gathered is going to hurt you a lot" Trahel paused and hesitated " Your parents that looked after to you in Elmswell aren't your biological parents"

Of course I thought

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	7. A Parents Secrets

All I could see, feel, touch, hear and breathe was nothing. It was dark and I was so sore all over. My mind did not seem to be working. It hurt too much from the revelation of the truth about my so called parents.

Life was unfair. Why did it have to be me that grew up with false parents? Ones that always said they loved me with their life. Maybe they really did love me, but they could have never loved me as much as if I was their own daughter. Who are my real parents?

I loved them so much and now for all I know, they lied to me all my life.

I felt something nudge me. I drew in a breath and found that I was gagged. I struggled to breathe. I took small breaths trying to get as much air as possible. Then finally the gag was taken away and I could breathe. I opened my eyes and I saw the person that had nudged me it was Murtagh.

He looked murderous, but he wasn't glaring at me he was staring directly at Trahel. He forcefully directed his glare at me which then softened with guilt for a few seconds then he composed himself and began to speak.

"Arlia, gagging was your punishment for being late. I was going to punish you more for fainting but it was not you fault", he glanced over at Trahel with a murderous look, " We need to discuss what Trahel discovered… privately." With that he quickly glanced around indicating the walls may have ears.

Murtagh pulled me to my feet and we began to walk toward the castle. I quickly checked to see if Scorp was alright, and I saw him at my heels every so often he glanced up at me. We reached the castle and then walked further into the hall. We stopped at a large wooden door and walked inside. The room was dimly lit by a fire and held three large, blood red seats. Murtagh led me over to one of them and told me to sit down. The seat was as soft as feather and Scorp jumped up playfully onto my lap and curled into a miniature indigo coloured ball, soon he would be to large and heavy for this I thought. He and Trahel sat in the seats opposite me. Murtagh began to speak quietly

"Arlia, I am your trainer. I will teach you everything I know and more. But before we can get deeper into that, we need to discuss some things. Firstly tell me about your parents and you"

I gritted my teeth and spat "What parents?!"

"The ones that took care of you"

"Fine, my father is part elf, I think his mother was an elf, most of my features come from him and my mother is human like you, anything else?

"Yes, did you at any point think they were not your parents?

"No, not until you told me. I swear they are my parents-

Trahel interrupted me and said forcefully

"I saw the images of your father in your thoughts, he is only part elf and not even that much elf blood should have come up in your features. Your mother was human, no elf blood at all. But you have a lot of elf features. The ears, the skin and from what I can see the agility. Your true parents had both elf blood running in their veins."

With that he ended leaving me dumbstruck and lost for words. Finally I managed to find my voice.

"So, I am an elf?"

It was uncomfortably silent for a few moments. Then Murtagh replied to me

"Not completely. We think one of your parents may have a little human blood in them. But yes you are an elf."

"Well," I chuckled darkly "That explains a few things"

Suddenly Trahel spoke in an annoyed voice "Spit it out Arlia!"

"What?!"

"The godamn question!" he spat

How in the all of Alagaësia did he know that question, I thought. The answer came as swiftly as the question. He had explored my mind further when I was blacked out.

"Okay… do you know my real parents?" I asked quietly

"I am afraid not Arlia, we have no idea who they are" Murtagh replied softly

"Then how did you know that the parents who looked after me all my life aren't my real parents? How do you know?!" I challenged raising my voice

There was an awkward silence following my outburst.

"Arlia I don't know if you remember but the night before the two soldiers came to your village with the egg that now is…" Murtagh trailed off, remembering the task he had set me the day before

"Scorp"

"Well done. So that night you had a dream correct"

"Correct"

"Well in that dream, you were in someone's arms and they were running from what we can see they were also talking to you also. Is that correct?"

"Yes it is and why may I ask should I need to know this?"

"Because the person holding and carrying you was one of your real parents"

I couldn't believe it. I just sat there completely stunned. Suddenly the emotions came over me. I was upset and miserable. So I had been in their arms at one stage in time. Why had my parents given me up? Was I not good enough for them?

"Arlia, please pay attention" barked Murtagh "We need to know these things, they are important!"

"Is it so important? Really! Is it going to help you win this stupid war?!" I yelled

Scorp jumped up startled and nuzzled me, worried by my outburst. I don't know what had come over me, I just felt like saying that to them.

"You will not speak to me like that at all, for yelling at me you will receive no food for two days. Learn to have control." Murtagh said

"What about Scorp?" I protested

"He will receive food, but not you."

Trahel spoke up at that point and said

"Arlia let us continue this later today. I think the King wants to see you," He turned to Murtagh "Am I right?"

Murtagh sighed and said "Yes you are and you may leave now we won't continue this later we will continue this in a week. We have more important things to do than search her past as she said. We have to train her and get her ready for battle against the Varden." He finished with a smirk on his face

So Trahel walked out of the room without a word. Murtagh turned to me.

"Be ready in fifteen minutes. I will have one of the soldiers to show you to your room. You will wear something nice and suitable for addressing the King in. Stay here while I grab a soldier to lead you."

He left and came back in a matter of minutes with… I groaned…. Maurin.


End file.
